Children's Home run by HAVEN CARE GROUP LIMITED in Staffordshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 1 Registered provider: Haven Care Group Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a small private company. The home provides care for up to four children whose adverse childhood experiences and trauma can lead to them exhibiting complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2023 and holds a level 5 qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home. The children were present for some of the inspection and the inspectors were able to speak with them and observe children with the staff.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers have responded to and met some of the requirements made at the last inspection. However, shortfalls in the health and safety of the home environment and in staff achieving the relevant qualification within timescales remain. Additional requirements relating to children’s health and wellbeing and the care of children and a recommendation relating to independent monitoring of the home have been made at this inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home. Managers served notice because of an escalation in unsafe behaviours. This impacted on the other children living in the home. Managers and staff worked with social workers and supported the child to move in a positive way. Following this, managers have reflected on lessons learned, exploring what went wrong and how they could improve practice to avoid this happening in the future.

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Findings from the inspection

Of the three remaining children, two children, who are siblings, have lived in the home for three and a half years and one child, for 18 months. A child’s social worker praised the staff for giving their child consistent nurture and telling the child how proud they are of them. They said this attuned care has led to a decrease in the child’s vulnerabilities high-risk behaviours.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff work hard to build positive relationships with children. They support children to maintain contact with people who are important to them. They have conversations with children to help them be safer and healthier, and to promote their independence. Staff encourage children to invest in their care by listening to children’s views in planned discussions and ad-hoc conversations. These strong relationships enable children to make good progress from their starting points.

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Findings from the inspection

All children attend a school that meets their needs. Managers and staff have worked in partnership with teachers to support children to achieve good school attendance. Staff have supported one child to attend work experience. This has enabled the child to develop aspirations for their future.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff do not always appropriately support children’s physical health needs. For example, medical advice has not been sought for one child’s reaction to certain foods. Additionally, staff are not aware of one child’s allergic reaction to a particular medication. This shortfall has not yet had a negative impact on children’s health, but needs to be addressed before it does so.

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Findings from the inspection

Shortfalls remain in the manager’s monitoring of the home environment. A side gate providing access to the garden from the street is not secured. A broken broom handle with sharp edges and Christmas tree baubles have been left lying in the Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 3 garden. One child’s wardrobe door has been secured with a broken piece of wood with sharp edges and heavy-duty bolts. The same child has an old microwave, which is a possible fire hazard, in his bedroom.

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Findings from the inspection

Maintenance and cleanliness of the home require improvement. For example, bathrooms have not been well cleaned. Paintwork needs re-touching, and the utility room floor is damaged and needs replacing. Garden furniture is dirty and covered in mould. Children’s bedrooms are disorganised. Dirty laundry is piled in the corner of one child’s bedroom. The child’s bedding and mattress are tired and worn looking. The child keeps pet fish in a large tank in their room. The glass of the tank is opaque and covered in algae because staff have not supported the child to clean it. Another child had a dangling light bulb without a light shade.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection there has been an increase in incidents when children self- harm. Managers have worked in partnership with children’s social workers and mental health professionals to develop strategies to keep children safe. Staff help children to work through their emotions and to talk more openly about their worries. Children who harm themselves are provided with alternative strategies to keep themselves safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s risk management plans, give staff the guidance they need to understand and support children’s complex behaviours. Staff know the individual strategies to support children when they are upset or angry. Restraint has not been used since the home’s last inspection. This demonstrates that the strategies identified are being used and are effective.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have recently received training to address children’s risk of going missing from home so they know what to do should such an incident occur. Children have individualised missing protocols and, as an added safeguard, information is shared with the local police. No children have gone missing since the last inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff take their responsibility to safeguard children very seriously. When children raise a safeguarding concern, managers and staff take immediate action and liaise effectively with agencies. When necessary, managers carry out effective investigations and take appropriate action. Managers consult with children and enable them to share their views. They then ensure that outcomes are shared with children promptly. This helps children to feel safe, valued and listened to.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager is effective in their oversight at the home. They work in partnership with the responsible individual using a range of approaches, including regular audits, and on-going monitoring of incidents and recorded discussions with children. When necessary, managers carry out effective investigations and up-date risk management plans with strategies and changes to staff practice.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has developed strong working relationships with external professionals. They describe communication as good and say that partnership working is effective in supporting children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 4 The staff are experienced and well qualified. Six staff have a relevant qualification and six are enrolled. However, not all staff have achieved the required qualification within required timescales.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff receive regular supervision sessions, which is reflective and provides an opportunity for staff to raise any concerns that they may have. The manager promotes improvement in practice by addressing this within additional supervision sessions. Staff say that the manager is approachable and supportive, and that morale is good.

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Findings from the inspection

Team meetings take place regularly and there is good discussion around children’s current needs. Staff receive a range of training which is a mixture of face-to-face training, workshops and on-line training.

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Findings from the inspection

Some aspects of monitoring the quality of care are good, but others require improvement. The six-month review of care is focussed on the children’s progress. However, managers do not have systems in place to help the independent visitor to gain the views of parents and carers and professionals. This is a missed opportunity to gain valuable feedback and further develop the quality of care for the child. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/07/2023 Full Good 22/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they monitor the home’s environment effectively and take action to remove hazards that could potentially pose a risk to children. 10 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)) 10 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 7 In particular, the registered person must ensure that they seek medical advice when children struggle to eat particular food. Additionally, that all staff are aware of children’s medical needs and know how to respond to these when and if needed. The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(iv)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home is a clean and well-maintained place for children to live and that staff support children to maintain their bedrooms to a good standard. 10 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that — 10 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 8 the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”).

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (3)(b) (4)(a) (5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff working in the home achieve the appropriate qualification within the required timescales.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. Specifically, managers should support the independent visitor to acquire feedback from children’s parents, including their corporate parents, and carers. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Haven Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Haven Care Group, Unit 6, Barberry Court, Parkway, Centrum One Hundred, Burton-on-Trent DE14 2UE

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Inspectors

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Chrisoula Contoyianni, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 10 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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